Baystate Health Appoints Kathleen Healy as Chief Legal Officer

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health announced the appointment of Kathleen (Kate) Healy as chief legal officer (CLO), effective July 14. In this role, she will oversee the organization’s legal, compliance, risk management, and corporate governance operations, ensuring strategic alignment with Baystate Health’s mission and vision.

As CLO, Healy will provide guidance and leadership for Baystate in navigating complex regulatory frameworks, managing legal and reputational risk, strengthening governance, and overseeing claims and insurance management across the enterprise. Additionally, she will also serve as a strategic legal advisor to executive leadership, physician leaders, and the board of trustees.

“Kate brings a combination of legal expertise, healthcare experience, and a deep understanding of the strategic and operational challenges facing health systems today,” said Dean Sanpei, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Baystate Health. “Her leadership will be vital in helping Baystate Health continue to deliver high-quality care while navigating risk, regulatory complexities, and growth and innovation responsibly.”

Healy brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare law, with deep knowledge in regulatory compliance, data privacy, corporate transactions, and board governance. Most recently, she was a partner in the Health Law Group at Robinson & Cole LLP and co-chair of the firm’s artificial intelligence team. There, she advised healthcare systems across the country on affiliations, joint ventures, and cutting-edge data-sharing strategies.

Prior to that, Healy served for nearly two decades as partner and vice chair of the Health Care & Life Sciences Group at Verrill Dana LLP, where she counseled academic medical centers, health plans, and provider organizations on legal and strategic matters. She has also held interim and outside general counsel roles for numerous health systems.

Healy earned both her juris doctor and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Notre Dame. A former Peace Corps volunteer and project director, she has also held board leadership positions with health organizations including Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Partnership, the Maine State Bar Assoc. (Health Law Section), the Boston Bar Assoc. (Health Law Section steering committee), the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. (Health Law Section council) and VNA Home Health and Hospice.